The Official Forum  

Go Back   The Official Forum > Softball
Register FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 03:50am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Springfield, VA
Posts: 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manny A View Post
Honestly, the only place I've seen it is in Little League. And it's not something that is taught at LL clinics in our area. It's just that some LL volunteer umpires don't bother to attend those clinics, don't have league UICs who teach what is proper, etc., and those umpires think it's required as a courtesy.

But in softball here under ASA, NFHS, PONY, etc., I can't recall ever seeing an umpire give the situation, nor a coach complain when it isn't done.

It's simple: the game situation is something the coach should tell his/her new pitcher when he/she makes the change. If asked about the count and outs, I'll answer, and it's usually the catcher who does the asking. If not asked, I will give the count before I say Play if there is a batter in the middle of an at-bat. That's about it.
Manny, I have seen it serveral times while during tournments in MD, why they do it I have do idea, I guess I shoud ask next time.
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 05:03am
Stirrer of the Pot
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Lowcountry, SC
Posts: 2,380
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoRedSox View Post
Manny, I have seen it serveral times while during tournments in MD, why they do it I have do idea, I guess I shoud ask next time.
Must be some of those MD umpires.

It may be one of those old school things that umpires remember seeing when they played ball as kids, kinda like showing two fists with a full count, and have never been told we don't do that anymore.
__________________
"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 07:46am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Maryland (northeast of Baltimore)
Posts: 371
Quote:
Must be some of those MD umpires.
Hold on now, no need for a border war .

I've probably worked in 10 or more states over the years and this practice shows up everywhere. No rhyme or reason. I agree with BretMan about some umpires wanting to interject themselves. When I'm behind the plate and I see my partner hovering around the new pitcher, I know what he's about to do. I want to wave a red flag and tell him to get back to his position in the field.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 08:03am
Stirrer of the Pot
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Lowcountry, SC
Posts: 2,380
I've actually seen it more often in baseball. I wonder if that's just a baseball thing that some dual-hatted and transitioning umpires brought over to the softball side. I haven't been to a baseball clinic in many years, so I don't know if it's something that is endorsed as a courtesy on the grassed diamond.
__________________
"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 08:22am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 1,640
Yes, I see it a lot in baseball too (or, saw it a lot, as I've transitioned almost exclusively to fastpitch the past couple of seasons).

But, no, it was never taught to me and I've never seen it in any baseball umpire manual. In fact, on some of the baseball forums that I frequent I've seen threads about this topic and, just like here, guys are against it.

A true story from my high school baseball days...I'm working the bases and there is a pitching change. Warm-ups get thrown I get back into "C" position snd get ready to go. Then I notice that the plate umpire is just standing there staring at me.

I can't figure out what's going on so I give my partner a subtle "what's going on?" signal. He points at the pitcher and says, "Go tell him".

Huh? Go tell who, what? I shrug my shoulders and he points at the pitcher again and says, "Go tell him the situation". Then I figure it out. He thinks that it's my responsibility to inform the pitcher how many outs there are and what runners are on base!

I kind of waved him off, like "I'm not going to do that, let's just play ball". But he points again and says to inform the pitcher. And it looks like he's not going to re-start the game until I do!

So, I took a few steps toward the mound, leaned in and said in my quietest voice, so nobody would know what I was saying except me and the pitcher, "Okay, pitch, are you ready? Alright, here we go now".

Apparently that was enough, because with that my partner put his mask back on, got back behind the plate and finally got the game going again.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 09:00am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 648
I confess I do use the fist-bumping to indicate full count, but ONLY as a BU when my PU partner comes to me for the count. Obviously never as a PU.
It's easier to see from a distance, and just as discrete.
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 10:29am
Rich's Avatar
Get away from me, Steve.
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 15,794
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manny A View Post
I've actually seen it more often in baseball. I wonder if that's just a baseball thing that some dual-hatted and transitioning umpires brought over to the softball side. I haven't been to a baseball clinic in many years, so I don't know if it's something that is endorsed as a courtesy on the grassed diamond.
It is only the practice of bad baseball umpires.
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 10:41am
Stirrer of the Pot
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Lowcountry, SC
Posts: 2,380
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich View Post
It is only the practice of bad baseball umpires.
That's what I suspected.

I still believe that at some point in the past, it was a common thing, and it's being kept alive by umpires who learned from those old-timers who did it.
__________________
"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old Mon Jul 14, 2014, 11:56am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Ventura County, CA
Posts: 257
I was taught this by an older old school umpire way back when. I did it one year but after moving up to the 16/18A circuit I learned fast that i was taught wrong. I think this comes from the older umpires that only do rec. They work with a 1st year umpire and that umpire sees the example for older umpire and thinks it must be a mechanic.
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jul 15, 2014, 07:06am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Birmingham, UK
Posts: 69
I wouldn't give new pitchers any other information other than the count when the batter steps back into the batters box-- and that's to refresh everyone as a courtesy.

Surely it's the team and manager's jobs to remind themselves where the play is going, runners on, etc
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Coach giving signs to pitcher and infielders. Coach Dykhoff Baseball 6 Wed May 04, 2011 09:13pm
Defense Giving Way or Giving up on Play - Interference JPaco54 Baseball 25 Fri May 01, 2009 04:09pm
P.O.I. I'm not giving up until I get this right. referee99 Basketball 15 Fri Jan 09, 2009 04:26pm
Game Situation for New Pitcher SRW Softball 20 Wed May 30, 2007 12:29am
Considering Giving it all up mcrowder Softball 28 Sat Apr 09, 2005 05:27pm


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:03am.



Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0 RC1